Jan 2, 2019, 9:51 am
Last edit by: danpeake
As of Nov 11, 2020, Meta gebits are getting declined when used for MO/BP purchases at MC/SD. New limit appears to be $99 per swipe with some metas at some stores. READ the posts below and add a data point with details. USB and GD gift cards do not seem to be affected.
This is the thread for 2019. The previous discussion can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manu...rt-2018-a.html
New to MO: Read this entire Wiki (Click to open) and all posts for some tips before asking common questions. It is best to know what you are doing before you try.
Note: The policy for allowing gift cards as payment for money orders can be more restrictive with certain stores or certain clerks. Just because an employee says there's a new restrictive policy "for all Walmarts" means nothing. There are plenty of cases where the employee is incorrect and the new policy is only regional or store specific.
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Tested Gebit (gift debit) cards:
1. DO NOT WORK - Any Vanilla product affiliated with InComm or ITC Financial Services will not work for swipes over $49.99.
2. See above on Visas issued by MetaBank. New limit appears to be $99 per swipe with some metas at some stores. Follow the posts below for the latest information.
3. MC issued by US bank OR Metabank MC (Giftcards.com) can work, but you need to change payment type to debit before they enter the amount in the register. See below for details.
4. Gdot/sun work but take about an hour to activate.(VGC issued by Sunrise also limited to $99/swipe, same as Metabank issued cards, and Sunrise was available immediately).
5. USB work
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NEW Limits as of 11/18 - 8K with ID every 24 hours. ID required for MO over 1K.Some tips for starting out:
All WM registers allow 4 debit swipes per transaction, but YMMV per store and cashier. Refer to cards as Debit cards.
Start slow and buy one MO with one Gebit to see how it works. Refer to cards as Debit, only this community calls them Gebits. Your store or cashier may have rules that other stores do not have, only allowing one swipe per trans or up to 4 swipes per trans. Read all the tips below and all the posts below before trying more advanced transactions. NO variety or design of VISA or MC Gebit's will ever auto-drain at Walmart so always tell them the amount you want to pay per card. Fee: 1K MO or less is usually 88 cents each, but ask or check the wall. Subtract the fee from the total or pay in cash. If a store says "no", thank them and try again another day with a different clerk.
Helpful details and tips for advanced transactions:
1. Cost: 1K MO fee is usually $1 each(Some states limit MO total to 750 or 950 and may have a different fee). Subtract fee from your total or pay in cash. Can buy two 1K MO in one transaction with 4 swipes for $1 x 2 in most states. NO variety or design of VISA or MC Gebit's will ever auto-drain at Walmart so always tell them the amount you want to pay per card.
2. Split payment transactions: You cannot successfully swipe more than 4 cards in a single transaction. If the cashier screws up and enters $50.00 instead of $500.00 (thus making it impossible for 4 swipes to complete the transaction), the transaction will need to be canceled. The funds should return to your cards right away but may take 24 hours, so note the time and person helping you. When a transaction is canceled during the trans, the money returns to the cards. If canceled after, the cash reg drawer opens and they pay you back in cash.
3. Split payment: The amount of each swipe needs to be entered by the cashier. Ask to "split the payment by $$$". The Gebit must have current balance of that amount or more otherwise slip with Error 51 will print out. Warning: (YMMV) It appears (my experience on 3 occasions during prepaid card load and buying MO in 2 different WMs) that after the debit card was charged no cash could be credited back to the card. Cashier should issue cash back. Keep the slip and contact manager if in doubt. Remember date, time and register if no slip.
4. Bad Printer: IF, by chance, you've swiped your GCs successfully, a receipt prints but the MO doesn't, make sure to ask to see the receipt and check near the bottom IF it says CHANGE/REFUND with a negative sign before the amount of GCs you swiped, that means the cashier must give you cash refund. Cashier may have to call for the cash dept manager to verify the refund. Some stores may outright give your cash refund immediately while there are others that will ask you to come back. Think twice before you buy MOs while on vacation or when you're in unknown to you territories for issues like this.
6. MCGC liquidation- The cashier should not enter the amount first. Technically they just can't hit enter after entering the amount. Let the CSR know you need to swipe first and switch the payment type to debit, then swipe and hit "Cancel" or "Change Payment" to select "Debit" on the screen, enter the pin and have them enter the amount.
7. SSN/ID entry - Any MO purchases in one transaction at or over $3K requires you to input your SSN. Any MO at or over $1K requires ID input (and ID requirement can also be forced by cashier at any amount).
Debit codes PDF
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/attac...0&d=1461170080
Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)
Aug 25, 2019, 9:11 am
#1021
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 19
For example - could I do a 999.12 MO by using a $500 VGC (first swipe) and a $500 MCGC (second, final swipe) without having to use the change payment method?
Aug 25, 2019, 2:33 pm
#1022
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Can someone clarify if this is really a process that works for the 4th swipe only? Or does it just need to be the final swipe of a multi swipe purchase?
For example - could I do a 999.12 MO by using a $500 VGC (first swipe) and a $500 MCGC (second, final swipe) without having to use the change payment method?
Aug 25, 2019, 3:07 pm
#1023
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: USA
Programs: UR and MR
Posts: 88
If I'm understanding this correctly, using a MCGC as the last swipe will auto drain it like a VGC?
Aug 25, 2019, 3:20 pm
#1024
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
I still have to cancel/change payment on the 4th swipe when using MCGC, YMMV.
Aug 26, 2019, 8:53 am
#1026
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 16
Newbie here, so sorry for all the mistakes in advance. I bought 2 x $1K simon gift cards over the weekend and spent Sunday driving around to 4 WMTs in Maryland outside DC trying to unload them. I got rejected by each.
The first location I foolishly tried to do a split tender on my first attempt. I told the CSR I wanted a MO for $1999.12 and to pay with two cards. The CSR asked for my ID, looked confused and somehow rang up the order as $2000.12. I swiped my first gebit and right away there was an error. She peaked over the register and saw it was a gift card. Told me that only debit was allowed. I said thank you and left. In retrospect I did not originally tell her I wanted to split tender and to charge the first card as $1000, second as $1000, etc., though based on my last attempt I am not sure it would have mattered.
The second and third time, I asked for $999 money order. Was ID'd and they asked to see my debit card, then told me gift cards are not allowed. I said thank you and left.
The last time, I again asked for a $999 money order. Was ID'd and she rang up the total as $999.88. I pushed debit, swiped the card, entered the last four digits of the card, and waited while the order processed. After about 5 seconds, I saw an error message on the little screen above the register...I believe it read A00003 and something about invalid card. The CSR told me no gift cards were allowed. I said thank you and left.
If anybody has any insight on to why my last attempt might have failed, I would really appreciate it. I later tested the card at a grocery store and it worked using the last four as pin.
Also, based on reading the contrary, I thought it was interesting I got ID'd for less than $1K. I do have a shaved head, beard, and tattoos on my arms. Not sure if that makes a difference, but next time I will be wearing a hat and long sleeves. I am not trying to make a business out of buying MOs...just a little spend for my Hyatt card, so I can reach Globalist. Thanks for any help.
The first location I foolishly tried to do a split tender on my first attempt. I told the CSR I wanted a MO for $1999.12 and to pay with two cards. The CSR asked for my ID, looked confused and somehow rang up the order as $2000.12. I swiped my first gebit and right away there was an error. She peaked over the register and saw it was a gift card. Told me that only debit was allowed. I said thank you and left. In retrospect I did not originally tell her I wanted to split tender and to charge the first card as $1000, second as $1000, etc., though based on my last attempt I am not sure it would have mattered.
The second and third time, I asked for $999 money order. Was ID'd and they asked to see my debit card, then told me gift cards are not allowed. I said thank you and left.
The last time, I again asked for a $999 money order. Was ID'd and she rang up the total as $999.88. I pushed debit, swiped the card, entered the last four digits of the card, and waited while the order processed. After about 5 seconds, I saw an error message on the little screen above the register...I believe it read A00003 and something about invalid card. The CSR told me no gift cards were allowed. I said thank you and left.
If anybody has any insight on to why my last attempt might have failed, I would really appreciate it. I later tested the card at a grocery store and it worked using the last four as pin.
Also, based on reading the contrary, I thought it was interesting I got ID'd for less than $1K. I do have a shaved head, beard, and tattoos on my arms. Not sure if that makes a difference, but next time I will be wearing a hat and long sleeves. I am not trying to make a business out of buying MOs...just a little spend for my Hyatt card, so I can reach Globalist. Thanks for any help.
Aug 26, 2019, 8:54 am
#1027
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: S.E. Pennsylvania
Programs: SPG, SW Air, AA, all of'em!
Posts: 239
Thanks for reporting your experience. This put me at ease to have more liquidation channels for MCGC.
I visited two WMs, different from the first one where I had the "change payment" button not appear above, and the POS worked properly there, and change payment button was visible.
HOWEVER, for the first time, after many no-issue visits to this same WM, swiping MCGC *first* in order to change payment, before cashier enters 500 tender, the cashier refused to allow me to swipe first to allow this process to work, as she was concerned about possible fraud.
It seems the swipe first, THEN tender amount entered on her side, in that order, was counter to her "training" and was concerned WM may not get the payment for the MO, and that perhaps I was running a scam. This unusual level of concern seems to have been triggered by the recent Paypal payment scam perpetrated against WM.
I visited two WMs, different from the first one where I had the "change payment" button not appear above, and the POS worked properly there, and change payment button was visible.
HOWEVER, for the first time, after many no-issue visits to this same WM, swiping MCGC *first* in order to change payment, before cashier enters 500 tender, the cashier refused to allow me to swipe first to allow this process to work, as she was concerned about possible fraud.
It seems the swipe first, THEN tender amount entered on her side, in that order, was counter to her "training" and was concerned WM may not get the payment for the MO, and that perhaps I was running a scam. This unusual level of concern seems to have been triggered by the recent Paypal payment scam perpetrated against WM.
Aug 26, 2019, 12:19 pm
#1028
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
some csr’s are like this. They don’t realize/care they can delay entering amount. It can be challenging to change their habit. You probably shouldn’t cry wolf so quickly.
Aug 26, 2019, 2:09 pm
#1029
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,322
Auto draining is a different issue, the point here is that using a MCGC as the last of either a 2-swipe or 4-swipe transaction obviates the need to do the cancel/change thing.
Aug 26, 2019, 2:12 pm
#1030
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,322
Thanks for reporting your experience. This put me at ease to have more liquidation channels for MCGC.
I visited two WMs, different from the first one where I had the "change payment" button not appear above, and the POS worked properly there, and change payment button was visible.
HOWEVER, for the first time, after many no-issue visits to this same WM, swiping MCGC *first* in order to change payment, before cashier enters 500 tender, the cashier refused to allow me to swipe first to allow this process to work, as she was concerned about possible fraud.
It seems the swipe first, THEN tender amount entered on her side, in that order, was counter to her "training" and was concerned WM may not get the payment for the MO, and that perhaps I was running a scam. This unusual level of concern seems to have been triggered by the recent Paypal payment scam perpetrated against WM.
I visited two WMs, different from the first one where I had the "change payment" button not appear above, and the POS worked properly there, and change payment button was visible.
HOWEVER, for the first time, after many no-issue visits to this same WM, swiping MCGC *first* in order to change payment, before cashier enters 500 tender, the cashier refused to allow me to swipe first to allow this process to work, as she was concerned about possible fraud.
It seems the swipe first, THEN tender amount entered on her side, in that order, was counter to her "training" and was concerned WM may not get the payment for the MO, and that perhaps I was running a scam. This unusual level of concern seems to have been triggered by the recent Paypal payment scam perpetrated against WM.
Aug 27, 2019, 6:56 am
#1031
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,442
If I get one that just can't or doesn't want to "get it", I just thank them and withdraw. It is not worth my time to discuss it, or risk losing the store itself. CSRs come and go, and there always is another day and time.
Aug 27, 2019, 7:37 am
#1032
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 494
As always, how you proceed with a WM event is highly CSR dependent.
If I get one that just can't or doesn't want to "get it", I just thank them and withdraw. It is not worth my time to discuss it, or risk losing the store itself. CSRs come and go, and there always is another day and time.
If I get one that just can't or doesn't want to "get it", I just thank them and withdraw. It is not worth my time to discuss it, or risk losing the store itself. CSRs come and go, and there always is another day and time.
Aug 27, 2019, 9:17 am
#1033
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
not at all wmt or with all csr.. it’s rare that my last card doesn’t require switch pmt. happens less than 1% of the time for me.